The present invention relates to a package for smoking articles such as cigarettes, and in particular to a cigarette package of the hinged lid type.
Popular smoking articles such as cigarettes conventionally have been sold in packages. Typically, each package contains about 20 cigarettes. One type of popular cigarette package is the so-called "hard pack," "crush proof box" or "hinged lid package." Such a package has a generally cuboid-type shape, is manufactured from resilient paperboard and includes an outer wrap of transparent polypropylene film.
Hinged lid cigarette packages conventionally are made from two paperboard blanks. One blank forms the body and lid of the package. The second blank forms an insert or inner frame which is assembled to the inside of the front and side walls of the package. The inner frame projects above the front and side walls of the package body, and provides a seal between the lid and body when the package is closed. Other types of designs of blanks for hinged lid cigarette packages can be of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,874,581 to Fox et al and 3,944,066 to Niepmann.
One of the features common to hinged lid cigarette packages is the so-called "lid reinforcing panel" or "lid stabilizer flap." Such a feature provides rigidity as well as an aesthetic appearance to the front of the lid portion of the package, when the package is closed as well as when the package is opened. It is common practice to apply adhesive to the inner surface of the lid reinforcing panel in order to adhere that panel to the inner front package. Unfortunately, the lid reinforcing panel is not always held in place by the adhesive due to the short adhesive setting time which is experienced during cigarette packaging operations. As a result, the cigarette manufacturer using automated high speed equipment may experience problems with the quality control of its cigarette packages. In particular, the lid reinforcing panel may tend to separate from its intended position against the inner face of the front lid portion, especially after the package is opened.
It would be highly desirable to provide a hinged lid type cigarette package wherein the lid reinforcing panel is maintained in its desired position during the useful lifetime of the package.